Album Reviews

Album Review: Various Artists – Be True To Your School: A Fortuna POP! Compilation (Fortuna POP!)

By | Published on Monday 24 November 2008

Fortuna Pop Compilation

Fortuna POP! is a small north London record label that has a staunchly indie ethic that has delivered character-filled gems from C86-influenced bands and the like since 1996. Not many of these bands are what would be called seminal artists, however they constitute a vital component of British music – entertaining the kind of shuffling under-confident indie kid that listens to Tallulah Gosh and looks straight out of ‘Ghost World’ (rather than today’s day glow brash youth). This is a great compilation that is varied and of almost unwavering quality. I can even suffer the aspects that sound like Belle And Sebastian (who I personally despise). Every song is obviously made by people who make music for the love of music rather than any other consideration. It oozes authenticity reminiscent of ‘Nuggets’, the great proto-punk-psych compilation series. There are many highlights and it is pretty arbitrary for me to pick out single bands, but anyway, I will. Bearsuit feature with ‘Itsuko Got Married’ and sound like the Pixies if they were made for a kids TV show complete with recorders and brass. Milky Wimpshake are geeky-powerpop with a very similar – if slightly watered down – aesthetic to The Wedding Present. The Tender Trap sound like the band from Kevin Smith film ‘Chasing Amy’ mixed with The Breeders. Finlay are classic alt-rock influenced British indiepop complete with a shitty but brilliant keyboard in the background. This is a musical alternative to valium. If you can’t enjoy this, despite its flaws, you are a bad person. PG

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